Seal press die mounting

ABSTRACT

D R A W I N G A SEAL PEAL HAVING A UNITIZED DIE ASSEMBLY WHEREIN ON OF THE DIES IS SPRING MOUNTED BY A BLADE SPRING FOR MATING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER DIE AND BOTH DIES ARE ROTATABLE FOR PAPER ORIENTATION. THE MOUNTING IS IMPROVED IN STRUCTURE AND ASSEMBLY TO ASSURE IN PRODUCTION CLOSE CLEARANCES AND COINCIDENT AXES FOR ACCURATE MATING REGISTRATION WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER WHEN CLOSED TO CONTACT PAPER FOR EMBOSSING.

United States Patent lnventors John W. Meyer Glenview;

Ralph J. Steiner, Chicago, Ill. 826,840

May 22, 1969 June 28, 1971 Meyer & Wenthe, Inc. Chicago, Ill.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee SEAL PRESS DIE MOUNTING 8 Claims, 8Drawing Figs.

U.S. Cl. 101/3 Int. Cl. B44b 5/02 Field oiSearch 101l3,3

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1921 Hellberg l0l/3SP1,561,423 11/1925 Evans 101/3 1,741,595 12/1929 Witt 101/3SP 2,998,7669/1961 Priesmeyer.... l0l/3SP 3,177,801 4/1965 Priesrneyer l01/3SP3,313,231 4/1967 Priesmeyer et al. 101/3SP Primary Examiner-William B.Penn Assistant Examiner-E. M. Coven Attorney-Harbaugh and ThomasABSTRACT: A seal press having a unitized die assembly wherein one of thedies is spring mounted by a blade spring for mating relationship withthe other die and both dies are rotatable for paper orientation. Themounting is improved in structure and assembly to assure in productioncloseclearances and coincident axes for accurate mating registrationwith respect to each other when closed to contact paper for embossing.

PATENTED JUH28 19w SHEET 1 BF 2 mw'rvn JRS JOHN W. MEYER BY RALPH JSTE lE R ATT'YS PATENTEU JUNZB l9?! SHEET E OF 2 SEAL PRESS DIE MOUNTINGCROSS REFERENCES Priesmeyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,231 Priesmeyer U.S. Pat.No. 3,177,801

Priesmeyer Priesmeyer BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The descriptions andconstruction of the seal presses in the above patents are useful in manyways in understanding the present invention. The presses generallyinclude a press frame having a lever handle pivotally mounted thereonand the seal press die unit receivable in the frame includes mating diesthat are separately supported by carriers which are mounted one on aspring blade and another on a rigid plate supporting the spring blade,so that they are movable toward one another upon depression of the leverhandle and are also mounted to rotate about axes normal to theirrespective faces. The die faces diverge when open to receive papertherebetween and are parallel when brought into engagement with thepaper and when the spring blade is flexed by operation of the handle forembossing the axes of the mating dies are moved from an angularlydisposed relationship when open to receive the paper to a coincidentrelationship as they are closed to engage and emboss the paper in anyone of several rotatably attained orientations. The seal press die unitcan be removed from and inserted in a desk or pocket-type seal pressframe and the frames of either type can be used interchangeably withdifferent die units when the dies are manually closed with the handleraised.

I-Ieretofore, maintaining concentricity and close journal tolerances formateability has been a compounded problem in production and inspection.

The seal press die units are made up for inventory without the dies andafter sale they are individually finalized later with personalized dies.Because of this, difficulty is experienced in production, in checkingthe presses for exact mateability or coincidence of the die axes beforethe dies are installed months later.

If the axes of rotation of the dies are production-assured,concentrically for the embossing position of the dies, the presses canbe sold out of inventory to others without concern. The matrix die canbe engraved by others, mounted on its carrier in the die unit and thecounter die disposed in mating relationship therewith when adhered toits carrier and the two dies will accurately mate whenever closed,regardless of their coordinated orientation with respect to the sheet ofpaper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the invention the die carrying unit is madeup of a stiff, heavy flat metal blade and a spring blade, both formed bystamping and coining and both being generally T-shaped in their planform. They are arranged to be secured at their leg ends so that theynormally diverge at their enlarged head ends to receive the paperbetween them where they can move towards and away from each other byflexure of the spring blade in the embossing operation. The movable endsare provided with the journal supports for multiorientation of the diesand at the time they are secured together they are disposed in flexedrelation with the journal elements parallel and the journal axescoincident. Thereupon, the secured ends are fastened together either byspot welding or riveting to integrate the unit.

With concentricity thus provided, it is one of the objects of theinvention to provide production which will assure concentricity orientthe dies squarely, later when dies are installed and lateral tilting orshifting is eliminated when the paper is being engaged, and the dieswill accurately mate with even pressure over the die surfaces each timethe dies emboss.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide in production, rotatablyoriented die carriers for multiposition operation and excellent qualitywhich assure accurate mating each embossment with personalized dies.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,766 U.S. Pat. No. 2,909,817

It is another object of the present invention to provide a seal pressand die support of the foregoing character which is durable and ruggedand yet which can be simple andeconomically manufactured with minimuminspection and very little need for corrective adjustments.

The lower die support plate rotatably receives the counter die flatagainst its upper face in any working position and has a pin thatpermits resilient axial movement therebetween when rotated from oneworking position to another as determined by detent engagement betweenthe elements in the manner described in Priesmeyer U.S. Pat. No.3,177,801.

In the present invention the upper die employs two snugly telescopedelements that may be swaged together without journal distortion andprovide a loose bearing relationship between a shoulder on one of theelements and an end face on the other element. The other element issupported on a wide shoulder secured against rotation in afrustocircular opening on the spring member. Frustoconical detentsresiliently received in widely spaced openings on arm portions of thespring support determine rotative positioning.

The formal engagement between the swaged parts is substantiallyelongated axially and the inner member is recessed within the journalarea to receive an assembly anvil which sustains the axial swaging forcewithout distortion of the metal at the journal ends of the inner member.The detent relation is under self-centering tension at all times in anyworking position with space between the matrix die holder and the springsupport that urges the holder to engage the shoulder in squared,concentric relationship at all times until after the paper is engagedwhereupon the end wall of the outer swaged member engages the die holderto transmit the embossing effort with the holder loosened ever soslightly by contact with the paper to permit the matrix die to workwhile being held in place almost exclusively by the detent elements.

The features of the invention which are believed to be new are set forthwith particularity in the appended claims. The invention together withfurther objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood however,by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seal press in its assembled formembodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the two main units of the sealpress shown in FIG. 1 with the die carrier unit manually held for eitherinsertion or removal with respect to the main frame unit;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the die carrier unit;

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the die carrier shown in FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the upper die spring support;

FIG. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8 in FIG. 5.

Generally considered as more particularly described in Priesmeyer U.S.Pat. No. 3,177,801, the seal press incorporating the invention, asherein disclosed for purposes of illustration, comprises a die carrierunit 10 for the upper and lower dies, 12 and 14 respectively, with thesupporting elements including a rigid flat member 28 and a. springmember 16 terminally secured thereto and disposed to urge the dies totheir parted relationship. The unitary assembly is readily installed ina throat 17 of a press frame 18 having a leverlike handle 20 carrying aroller 22 that is operable to close the dies and apply embossingpressure thereon. The upper die has thereon a saddle member 24 engagedby the roller 22 in latching relationship when the die carrier unit 10is disposed between the side frames for purposes discussed inPriiesmeyer U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,766. Except for the latching interlockbetween the saddle 24 and the roller 22, the unitary assembly is free tomove in the press frame and rests in supported relation on the bottomside 26 of the throat 17 opposite to the roller so that a single frame18 can receive interchangeably any one of a number of die carrier units10 of various sizes in proper working position as located solely by thelatching relationship between saddle and roller.

More particularly, the lower die support 28 is stamped from heavy flatmetal stock to have an inner end portion 32 with parallel sides andpreferably bent as at 33 where it is secured to the upper die support16. The front end portion of the lower support 28 is planar and shapedto receive and support a lower counter die unit 14, as further describedin Priesmeyer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,313,231 and is oriented to restupon edges 26 when in place.

The upper die support 16 is a T-shaped blade stamped from flat springmetal stock with the front end portion 40 planar and formed to receiveand support the upper matrix die 12. The matrix die is removablyreceived in a cup-shaped retainer 30 as further described in PriesmeyerU.S. Pat. No. 2,937,590.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front part 40 of the spring blade 16 is providedwith a circular hole 42 truncated at 44, whose axis is accurately spacedfrom the holes 39, and, is also provided with punched holes 46 whoseaxes are spaced equal distances from the hole 42. The axes of holes 46are parallel and coplanar with the axis of the hole 42. After the holes46 have been simultaneously stamped for accuracy and uniformity alongwith the holes 39 then, with a fixture die centered in the hole 42 witha mild burnishing snugness, the die entry side of the holes 46 are diestruck to swage the edge of the hole to a conical form as shown at 48 inFIG. 6 and at the same time camming surfaces 50 are coined in the edgesof the spring stamping 16 where they are diagonally in line with theaxis of the hole 42. Two camming surfaces 52 are on opposite sides ofthe leg portion 47 for purposes set forth a little later.

The lower end of the saddle member 24 is of reduced size and shape at 54to fit in the hole 42 in snug relationship and provide a shoulder 56engaging the upper face of the spring element around the hole 42. Thesaddle member 24 has an elongated bore 58 terminating at its upper endin a counter bore 60 of restricted depth providing a shoulder 62. Thebore terminates in a saddle contour 64 at its lowest point as borderedfore and aft by projections 66 receiving the roller 22 between them.

The matrix die receiving cup 30 has an upwardly offset portion 68 in thebottom 70 thereof at its geometric center and in this is provided acircular opening 72 exactly the same diameter as the bore 58. Equaldistances from the axis thereof frustoconical detents 74 are offset,upwardly to engage in mating relationship with the conical surfaces 48of openings 46, the axes of the detents and openings, being identicallylocated geometrically and identically spaced with the axes of thematching holes 46 and bore 58 already described.

A .pin 76 having a shank portion 78 with a pilot bore 77 is snuglyreceived in the bore and is provided with an end flange portion 80received in the offset 68 with sufficient clearance between it and theplane of the cup bottom 70 to receive the offset portion thereon inaxially loose but radially snug journaled relation. The length of thepin 76 above the shoulder is slightly greater than the shortest lengthof the bore so that there is appreciable space between the offset andthe lower end of the saddle member.

The final accuracy of concentricity is assured in the assembly of theparts wherein the ends of the die holder blades 16 and 18 are clamped toeach other with the rivets 37 engaging in the holes 39 and the diesupporting head ends are brought to substantially parallelism whichwould exist when the dies are closed far enough to just engage paperbetween them to be embossed. A fixture alignment pin (not shown) is theninserted in the opening 42 and brought to a position perpendicular tothe flat portions of the elements whereupon the rivet-elements 37 arestruck and the two stampings are thereby accurately unitized.

Thereafter, the blades are released, and in another fixture the saddleelement 24 is located in place with the cup 30 and pin 76 in place. Ananvil member (not shown) is received in the bore 77 and the upper marginof the pin at 82 is offset outwardly into the counter bore 60 with theupper end of the pin and the lowest point in the saddle held coplanarwith each other.

When this assembly is completed it will be observed, as shown in H6. 6,that the resiliency in the arms of the T- shaped spring member 16, asconfronted with the detents 74 that extend high enough to utilize springresiliency, provides a snap and holding action at the detents. When thedetents are released the flat tops of the detents slidably engage thebottom face of the spring element with a mild pressure until the detentsclear the spring blade whereupon the assembly loosens slightly for easeof movement to a different orientation of the dies as described inPriesmeyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,801.

The rotational movement of the upper die cup 30 is facilitated by thecams 50 and 52 which assist the detents to move over the intermediateedges of the spring plate that are encountered in reorienting the die.

The lower die carrier is a plate with a round pin 84 secured theretothat journals in the opening on the bottom plate 28 and the shank of thepin 84 extends beyond the bottom where it is circumferentially groovedat 84 to be received in a keyhole slot 86 in a light spring blade thatis then terminally riveted as at 88 to the bottom of the plate 28. Thespring 89 is flexed to urge the lower die carrier 14 towards the plateas further described in Priesmeyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,801 and detents90 are provided for the lower plate corresponding with the detentsdescribed for the upper die to locate the dies in mating position.

In personalizing the seal press, lettering is struck or engraved in theupper die blank to form the matrix die whereupon the counter die isformed therefrom as described in Priesmeyer U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,313,231 and2,909,817 and secured permanently to the lower plate while mated withthe matrix die under pressure. Thereafter the dies, being rotatableabout axes which coincide when the paper is contacted, are assuredaccurate mating and registration by the structure and assemblyrelationship described. The dies mate accurately without anypost-production adjustments.

As suggested, the upper die 12 includes on its die face a series ofdepressed characters. Mateable therewith on the upwardly facing die faceof lower die 14 are corresponding series of raised die characters. inorder to insure proper registration of the die characters indicatinghandle means 92 individually fixed to each die carrier cooperate toindicate the relative rotational positions of the dies in determinationof registration. The handle means comprise tabs projecting laterallyfrom the die carriers. With proper registration of die characters, thetabs are aligned one above the other. However, should one die be movedto a position improper with respect to the other, an immediate visualindication is afforded to the user by the appearance of tabs projectingmore than one way from the assembly.

We claim:

1. In a seal press having a frame defining a throat and a bandle levermeans pivotally mounted thereon, a unitary die holder assemblyreceivable in said throat and comprising:

a lower die support and an upper die support interconnected at one endand having flat portions at their other ends to support mating dies incooperating relationship, one of said supports being an elongated springurging separation of the dies, said flat portions having alignedopenings with coincident axes when said die supporting flat portions areadvanced by flexure of the spring support to substantially parallelpositions for the engagement of the dies;

a die carrier including a shaft for journaling the lower die support atits one of said openings and urged to engage against the upper diesupport in predetermined rotatably oriented positions;

an upper die carrier having a hole in the bottom thereof;

means for rotatably mounting the upper die carrier on the upper diesupport including a member received in the upper die support opening;

means interengaging said upper die support and said member to supportsaid member against rotation with respect to said upper die support;

said member having a hole in it concentric with the upper die supportopening and a shoulder engaging the upper face of the flat portion ofthe upper die support bordering said upper die support opening incompressive force transmitting relationship;

a pin secured in said hole journaling the upper die carrier for rotativeorientation thereof and having a head thereon defining a shoulderretaining the upper die carrier thereon against said upper die support;and

detent means spaced from said upper die support opening for locatingsaid upper die carrier in predetermined positions related to thepositions of the lower die carrier.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said nonrotativemember has a counter bore at the upper end of its hole defining ashoulder, and the upper end of said pin is swaged outwardly to engagesaid shoulder.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said upper die carriercomprises a cup having an upwardly offset portion bearing against saidelongated spring and apertured to receive said pin therethrough injournaled relationship with said head disposed in the offset portion tohold said die carrier in operative journaled relationship.

4. The combination called for in claim 1 in which said elongated springis the upper die support and has punched holes equally spaced from theopening therein with their axes parallel and coplanar with the axis ofsaid opening, the lower ends of said holes being truncated, and saidupper die carrier has coined frustoconical detents engaging saidtruncations and being of a height greater than the difference indistance between the die carrier and the elongated spring whereby theflat portion of the elongated spring is flexed under stress while saiddetents are engaging in said truncated holes.

5. The combination called for in claim 1 in which the said head isspaced a distance from said nonrotative member to provide a lost motionfor said upper die carrier for loose axial movement of the upper diecarrier, laterally extending flat resilient elements on the upper diecarrier, said detent means being disposed between said upper die carrierand said resilient elements and including tapering detent elements onone engaging holes on the other under stress upon said resilientelements to take up said lost motion by engagement between said detentelements and holes, and cam means formed on said other part in the pathof movement of said detent elements during rotary movement of said upperdie carrier for assisting said detent elements in their movement fromone hole .to another hole in association with said lost motion.

6. In a seal press having upper and lower die support members, one ofwhich comprises a spring blade element, and a die carrier memberrotatably mounted on each of said support members, one of said carriershaving a mounting hole through a bottom wall thereof, the combinationof:

a pin extending rotatably through said mounting hole in the bottom wallof said one of the carriers and having a flange axially supporting onits inner face said one of said carriers on said spring blade element;

a member secured to said spring blade element and having a bore thereinreceiving said pin in concentric supported relationship;

means securing said pin and member together as an assembled unitincluding metal upset from the pin engaging the wall of the bore toassure concentricity and support the pin against axial removal from thebore; and detent means interengaging said one carrier member and thespring blade under self centering tension for rotatively locating saidone carrier member with respect to the other carrier for equal angles ofmovement of the carrier members about coincident axes of rotation forregistration of mating dies carried thereby when said carrier membersare substantially parallel with each other. 7. The seal press defined inclaim 6 in which said pin securing means includes a shoulder at theupper end of said bore and said upset metal is swaged from the uppermarginal end of the pin to en age said shoulder.

8. In a sea press having a frame notched out to provide a lower armfacing upwardly and an upper arm over-hanging said lower arm,

a lever handle means pivotally mounted on the upper arm,

a unitary die assembly received in said notch and comprising a stifflower die support resting on the lower arm,

a spring blade upper die support,

said die supports having planar surface portions with holes through thembetween said arms at their front ends and being rigidly secured togetherat their rear ends to dispose said front ends in a cooperatingrelationship,

said upper die support comprising spring blade urging engagement withsaid handle in guiding relationship,

and being movable toward said other support by depression of the leverhandle means into a position wherein said planar surface portions are inparallel relationship and the axes of the holes are coincident,

a die receiving member journaled on the lower die support,

means for securing said die receiving member to said lower die supportincluding a shaft carried by said die receiving; member and mounted inthe hole on said lower die support for relative rotation and axialmovement therein,

a set of angularly spaced pairs of axially interengaging detent memberscarried by said lower die support and the die receiving member,respectively, for positioning same in a plurality of relativerotationally attained positions,

a die receiving cup,

means rotatably supporting the cup on the upper die sup port including asaddle member engaged by said lever handle means in latching relationhaving a reduced end portion snugly received in said upper die supporthole and bordered by a shoulder engaging the planar portion around thehole,

means interlocking said elongated spring and said saddle member againstrelative rotation,

said saddle member having an elongated bore and terminating in a saddlecontour engaged by said handle,

a pin snugly received in said bore to journal said die receiving cup andhaving a head thereon holding said cup in place,

a set of spring actuated pairs of detent members interconnecting saidcup and upper die support and angularly spaced identically with thefirst mentioned pairs of detents.

